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Pre-season friendlies 2026

isaacs said:
2nd half we got hosed but i'm not in any way worried, if anything it just tells us what we knew in that we need more quality in defence (Murillo and Diomande incoming) and the jury is still out on Ainas ability to have the legs to play in Glasners most demanding role as a wing back. Does Jair and Abbott have what it takes to play Glasners level of defending? Both young, both with potential and only time will tell.
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I do worry a bit about Aina under Glasner and more so after watching that. Fitness levels will obviously improve a lot by the time the season kicks off but I can't see him being the type of marauding wing back Glasner will want in his team.
 
As far as Zach is concerned, I think he needs a loan in League 1 to ensure he plays regularly next season. Proper, physical men's football will benefit him more than sitting on a Championship team's bench.

Were it not for his usefulness to us as a "home grown player" last season, he'd probably have the experience of a season of first-team football under his belt now and be a year on in his development.
 
nffcjoe said:
I do worry a bit about Aina under Glasner and more so after watching that. Fitness levels will obviously improve a lot by the time the season kicks off but I can't see him being the type of marauding wing back Glasner will want in his team.
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Can't think of many better free transfers than Ola but i have the same fears on the back of an injury hit season were he never really got back to the old Aina of previous seasons. But after a pre-season who knows, he certainly should be good enough as cover for Neco and another.

Someone mentioned Sels distribution earlier and i kinda agree, Ortega showed what a quality ball playing goalkeeper actually looks like but i'm not sure if Glasner absolutely requires that from his keeper - Hendo wouldn't exactly be known to be great with the ball at his feet would he?
 
isaacs said:
I don't have any idea where Bergvall fits into that system by the way, maybe as the other 10? The role McAtee was playing? I could see potential fits but i don't see a "number 1 target lets break our transfer record" fit
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I think the desire is to properly replace Anderson with someone who has quality on the ball but we could be okay in the middle with Sangare, Schlager, Dom and Yates. McAtee also showed he can play a bit deeper but I would worry that we'd get exposed with his lack of physicality in a 2. He played some lovely passes and had some great touches though. For me the priority would be in other areas, we didn't really have any pace or explosiveness in that 11. With a full squad that improves a bit with the likes of Hutch, Hudson-Odoi etc but I think for Glasner's system to work we need more athleticism in the side.
 
I thought McAtee had a good game........the best passer of a ball on show for us. Jesus put in a shift......Wood had 4 chances early in the second half, probably should done better. Abbot needs a season with a decent Championship Club. Would be interesting to know Glasner's raionale for playing most of our first eleven for 90 minutes.........they were knackered long before the end of the game.
 
Getting 90 minutes in the legs for most of the squad will do them well. We are probably the first team in the Prem to have done that in pre season.

Glasner said first 60 minutes were good. That’s what most have said but the last 30 we hit the limit.
 
It's Baggio said:
Became messy in the 2nd half, I suppose you can put that down to fitness levels, etc.

Wood & Abbott were both poor though & MGW never really got into the game. The two in midfield played some nice stuff but it's not really a viable central midfield pairing for me. Jesus was probably our stand out player, with some nice touches & movement playing as one of the 10's.

The back 3 definitely needs Murillo & Diomande either side of Milenkovic if we want to press higher. In fact I think the whole team currently lacks legs & looks a bit on the slow side.
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I said it pre match so not just saying it with hindsight but thought it was a bit of a strange match to have. Sporting’s season starts next week & are probably close to our level if not better even when we are at our best.

But it was clearly used a fitness exercise with no subs being used & the rest of the players playing this morning, but strange to do it against such top opposition!
 
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As strong as Glasner’s track record is, I still can’t help but think our squad is really not set-up for his system. We’ve got 4 wiingers who now seem to be redundant and not one wing-back I’d be confident in. Aina is often gassed by 70mins playing full-back nevermind wingback and as much as I love Neco, I can’t seem him as LWB. He played RWB under Cooper a few times but we were often all over the place in that first season back.
 
Two games in a day? 4-1 defeat? Clearly Glasner has done a Dyche, knackered the players and lost the dressing room.

Or maybe he has a plan so brilliant that I can't begin to guess it.
 
Highlights suggest Wood's failure to put us 2-1 up was costly.

Wouldn't blame Abbott too much for their second but he was static for the third. Fourth was very slick.
 
you faced Sporting clube de Portugal, The super force of sport in Iberian Peninsula. we are preparing a big team for Champions League, so dont be upset with the result. I saw good things in both sides. was hoping Forest didnt wear red. It hurts my eyes.
 
Studdenzi said:
As strong as Glasner’s track record is, I still can’t help but think our squad is really not set-up for his system. We’ve got 4 wiingers who now seem to be redundant and not one wing-back I’d be confident in. Aina is often gassed by 70mins playing full-back nevermind wingback and as much as I love Neco, I can’t seem him as LWB. He played RWB under Cooper a few times but we were often all over the place in that first season back.
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Very interesting post and I have similar concerns. The Palace team that Glasner had were much more athletic than our current squad overall….but unfortunately I thought they were pretty crap to watch.
I sincerely hope Glasner can adapt his preferred style to suit our best players (MGW, Sangare and Murillo), or otherwise we’ll either need a big overhaul of the squad or MGW will be off next summer.
Very interesting few weeks ahead, as initial recruitment will be critical. From what I saw last night Woody is approaching the end of his sell by date and several of those players either don’t fit in the new system or aren’t good enough.
 
I think we are missing the point. During the Portugal pre season training interviews were given by the players on hard the pre season training was. Glasner set up two games on the same day in 30 plus temperatures and certainly in the sporting game made no substitutes. This in my opinion was done for a reason and that was to show the players they are not 100% fit. You then had Sporting who are in the champions league and were bringing international players on to the pitch. The result meant nothing but what I saw how Forest played like in the first half was excellent.
 
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